They sat at the tables in the Guild Hall quietly. No one spoke as they all eyed each other. One after another their group joined them from logging in and sat at the tables. Hunter herself had her head bowed with her head in her arms. She might have seemed sleepy except that her knee was bouncing energetically under the table. No one was really pleased with what was about to happen. Yet, there was an air of excitement. The waiting, most had agreed, was the worst.
Idolia was the last, coming into the room with a sweeping apology about how traffic had been awful. She had some sort of infrequent work that made her game schedule frantic at times. She sat with Gilduirn, Schulia, Hendrick, and Rat. A somewhat unlikely pairing of people that had become fast friends in the last week. Amelia was a little surprised that Rat and Gilduirn were becoming thick as thieves. She was an ordinary if reliable person, but Gilduirn had become increasingly interested in keeping her company. Amelia wondered if there was something growing there.
Hunter looked up at last and sprang to her feet. As one everyone else stood, eyeing her carefully. The tall Silf Ranger sighed then, wrapping her strung bow over her shoulder. "Any reason to delay?"
"Could be the last day here. Disappointing but I'm not all that sad. We'll go out with style." Gabriel smiled. "I really like this," he confided gently. Grins suddenly broke out in the bleak atmosphere. "It'll probably suck halfway through though right?"
"You don't mind the huge notoriety we're likely to get hung around our necks?" Rat asked raising an eyebrow.
"I'm lucky!" He replied with a grin. "Vienne really doesn't care about notoriety. She told me once it showed character when someone had more enemies than friends."
Rat snickered, and even Gilduirn smiled in response.
"C'mon! I want a fancy crown and then to lounge on that throne!" Raven insisted. "Aidan, you shall be fern boy number 1. I expect several fanning motions per minute or I'll have you… punished in some way befitting my new position. Perhaps I shall make you sit in one of those stupid chairs that are too small for you when you have meals in my hall." Aidan made a face at her but didn't comment. He seemed a bit surprised that she had thought out a statement that long and let her have it by not retorting.
Hunter smiled but didn't comment. She straightened her shoulders and walked passed the tables, her guild, including the guests, falling in behind her and forming in a loose group. There was no hurry in her movements and no haste in the motions of those behind her. They marched proudly out the door and through the streets, gathering many stares. Where were the heroes of Shadow Fall marching to with such solemnity and in such number? Still, none of the Halves that had stopped working to watch had followed them, nor had they panicked. Their movement as one might have indicated Void or an attack was coming, but the Halves didn't seem to care. Hunter noticed as well.
"Aidan? Did you finish that new spell?" Hunter asked, eyeing the left side of the road where some of Halves were actually ignoring them and continuing with weaving.
"I did." Aidan replied. Amelia knew he had been working on it late into the night. A variation of the illusion magic Fog and his graphic design job.
"While we're walking why don't you use it?" Hunter suggested.
Aidan grinned. "I don't see why not? [Dead Kingdom]."
Immediately in a field all around them for 30 meters an illusion overlay replaced the normal scenery. The shops and vendor stands disappeared. The landscape that was green and vibrant with trees was replaced by scorched earth and burned down trees. While it didn't do a perfect job of replicating where they were in terms of the location, it did a very good job of looking like a city that had just been completely destroyed as long as you didn't question which city it was too closely. The Halves, everywhere around them, paused and started panicking. The illusion element had some sort of mirage element because Aidan had added in corpses. Dead Halves stared lifelessly in any manner of poses. Some grasped upward, some looked as they tried to shield others before they were slain, and some were simply buried under fallen stone walls and debris.
A wailing began as the Halves tried to make sense of the sudden imagery that was being forced upon them. If they hadn't been so surprised and panicked they might have noticed that no one was actually getting hurt. It was just an illusion. Despite the Halves claiming that they were largely immune to magic, Aidan had mentioned to Amelia that they had seemed exceptionally impressed by illusions so far. That included stories and the video that Amelia had shown them from her Chronicler's book. The effect now was certainly impressive. The Halves were running around, frantically clawing at fallen walls and trying to render assistance to the digitally rendered bodies that had suddenly appeared. A fruitless endeavor since it was just an illusion and there was nothing actually there to interact with.
The illusion moved with them through the streets and in their wake a growing wave of terror and screaming rose. Guards and other Halves began rushing from up ahead, falling over themselves to a complete stop as they saw the illusion. Most dropped their weapons or stared dumbly as Shadow Fall passed. No one questioned them as they marched quietly and with little interest in the illusion. Before long Amelia was surprised to note that most of the armed guards in the city were somewhere behind them, trying to make sense of the illusion as well as make sense of the scenery changing back to normal as Aidan moved out of range.
As they approached the castle the image of devastation approached with them. Amelia was surprised that Aidan hadn't had to recast it yet. Apparently the duration of his spells had increased at some point.
"What befalls?" One of the castle guard at the gate demanded.
Hunter stopped in front of him. "Your city was just destroyed. The castle is the only place left to defend. Open the gates and bar them. No matter what manner of voice you hear, 'tis lie. Bar the gates, for those who would have you believe they are friend wanting to come inside are lie. Nothing but death lies behind us, and Void will use their voices to gain entry."
The guard's jaw dropped, and he stared hard behind her seeing that it was likely as she described. As far as he could see, which was the edge of the field, everything appeared to have been completely destroyed in under a moment.
"Time lessens." Hunter said gently, not having to feign the sympathy in her voice.
"Open the courtyard gate and then bar it!" The Captain of the Guard bellowed, pushing the guard Hunter was talking to aside. "Get the large lumber and push it against that none may gain entry! Make way for Shadow Fall!"
Just like that Shadow Fall quietly fell through the courtyard gate and watched for a moment to make sure the doors and gate behind them were closed and barred. Aidan cancelled his spell as the door closed. Halves rushed past them and began bracing the door with gigantic pieces of lumber. As Hunter led her silent party into the castle they already began to hear the Halves from outside the gate pounding on the door and demanding entry, as well as the Captain telling his loyal Halves to pay them no mind, for they were the enemy.
"Friend Hunter!" Victoria rushed forward. "What happens? The gates are barred and runners have sent that the city has fallen." She sounded horrified and her face was ashen. Amelia glanced slyly to Aidan who was next to her when she noticed that Victoria wasn't even wearing any armor, though she did have her sword with her.
"We must see the King. Gather all the castle guards in the grand hall. This will be our last stand." Hunter said simply. She looked resigned, tired, as if this were really the end. Amelia didn't think she was having to act much. Hunter really hadn't liked the idea of this deception. Really, she had been displeased when she had volunteered to be the one to talk their way in and no one had disagreed or offered to do it instead.
"Yes." Victoria straightened. "Yes! At once!" She ran ahead, already shouting orders.
"They really just let us in." Tempest muttered. He sounded disgusted.
"I don't like this." Idolia mentioned.
"No one likes this," Schulia consoled.
"I like this." Raven said gleefully. For once no one laughed.
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When they entered the grand hall Shadow Fall stood silently near the entrance, waiting until Victoria reported that all the guards of the castle were gathered and everyone else was being taken to a sub-floor with orders to bar the doors.
"Good. Give all your weapons to Schulia. She will cast powerful magic on them. It will not save us, but we will make a good accounting of ourselves." Hunter gestured to Schulia, who immediately went to a table and started knocking plates and goblets off it clearing space. One by one the guards and even Victoria relinquished their weapons in front of Schulia. They stood awkwardly to the side, waiting to see what magic she would cast on them. The Halves didn't really do magic, Amelia decided, or they would have noticed that Schulia wasn't even a wizard or enchantress or anything other than a simple wood carver.
"Shadow Fall." Hunter commanded as the last shield clattered onto the table in front of Schulia.
As one everyone moved from their position and drew blade, bow, blunt weapon, or staff. The stupefied guardsman held up their hands as blades and knives and all manner of threatening weapon appeared at their throats. There were too many to threaten directly, and muttered and harsh whispers to kneel were given to those who didn't have a blade on them. If they did not, those voices promised, their friends would die in seconds. Choose.
"What is the meaning of this?" King Johanis was there. Amelia hadn't immediately picked him out. He was sitting tiredly on his throne and hadn't risen when they entered, even though he had likely been appraised of what was going on.
"Raven." Hunter bowed her head slightly as if in deference.
Raven moved through the silent hostages and to King Johanis. She raised her sword with the one hand, over a meter of dark steel, and simply commanded. "Get up. Order them to surrender or everyone dies."
"What do-." The King began. He never finished. Raven never waited for dialog if she had already spoken. She thrust her sword above his head and clear through the chair. He cowered under the blade and immediately jumped up and away. "Surrender! Kneel that you might not be killed!"
"Father you can't!" Victoria shouted. Gilduirn was holding his sword within inches of her face, but she still looked like she was furious that the order for surrender was given and that she might rush him with her bare hands at any second.
Schulia got up and put Changer, Victoria's sword, on a table near the thrones. She grabbed the King gently and led him to a table in the middle of the room where she sat him down. Wordlessly, like a sack of deadweight, King Johanis sat. It made Amelia's throat feel constricted.
Raven waited until she was done and then removed her sword from the throne. Casually she laid it across her lap as she sat down. Deadly glares were thrown from every angle. Raven simply lifted a leg and sprawled it over the armrest. "All hail, Hero Queen Raven."
"Hail! Hero Queen Raven!" Shadow Fall shouted, a little less than enthusiastically really.
Gilduirn allowed Victoria to take a careful step and turn to face Amelia. "Friend Amelia? What is this?"
"I cannot answer." Amelia replied. "I have not been given leave to speak."
"Do not speak, Empress Amelia." Raven called. "Send the former Princess forward."
Amelia gently reached out and took Victoria's arm, pulling the stunned Half to the front of the throne and then nudging her so that she fell on her knees in front of the steps that led up to where Raven lounged. Anger and fury flooded her features and she immediately regained her feet. "What treachery is this? Do you make enemy of the Half?"
"The Half?" Raven asked, looking around bored. "Does anyone know who that is?" She called.
No one answered, and finally Raven returned her gaze to Victoria. A leer pulled down her lips. Geez, Amelia thought, you are just too good at being a bad guy Raven.
"There are no Half. Yours is a kingdom of corpses. You've all just been killed. No survivors." Raven said flatly. "Frankly, I'm a little disappointed. Void promised that you would be a prodigious foe. We thought we would have to ingratiate ourselves a little more."
"Void?" Victoria paled.
Raven didn't get up, and if possible looked like she was sinking even further into the chair that was almost too small for her. "Yes Void. I shouldn't have been so surprised though. When we got here we planned to tell you we were your allies. Yet you didn't even know the danger. You didn't form an army, didn't make plans, you just lamely nuzzled at us begging us to take your lives."
Amelia glanced back at Aidan, who was grinning. She wasn't the only one. Forsythe and Hunter were both eyeing him with disgust too. The dialog he had given Raven was cruel, and almost derogatory.
"I sent out my men!" Victoria said vehemently. "Even now they are forming and gathering the Humans and Dwarves on the coast to stop this foolish coup."
"You sent out your men? How many?" Raven asked. Amelia almost sighed in relief when Raven stopped mentioning Void by name. It wouldn't do to have Vienne show up and murder them all before they could make peace again.
Victoria did not answer and Raven shrugged. "You are not Queen. How many does a King give to his second daughter? Ten, twenty, a hundred? Your kingdom is already annihilated. They will throw themselves on their own blades from the sights left behind before they even get here."
"Then my daughter?" King Johanis cried. "You are the traitors! Not she! It was all for show?"
"No, she was an agent. He grew tired of her mewling." Raven said yawning. "See? We know the stakes. We're all going to die but we're going to die first, and easy. That's our reward. The Halves will not." Raven looked at him, grinning. "Unless you surrender? He will probably just eat you and be done with it. Boring endings make for haste where he is concerned."
"Raven," Hunter called. She had been listening to Aidan in the back as he whispered. "Aidan advises we do them mercy. If they should ask, we will execute them now."
Amelia looked back, noting that the shadow of death already loomed in the room. All the Halves who had kneeled looked defeated. They were ready to be killed instead of facing whatever horror awaited them in their future.
"Oh. I suppose we could just eat and drink if they all died." Raven supposed aloud.
"As if we would give in to you, monster!" Victoria railed. Heads began to raise from those who were kneeling.
"Monster? Princess. Princess Victoria. No, just Victoria." Raven decided at last after talking it out. "I would rather be a monster than a Victoria. Let me ask you, sister of Adalia who was traitor to the Halves." Raven leaned forward with interest. "Even a rat knows when a snake is in its nest. Are you less than rat? Or did your kindness and your love for your father still your heart when it spoke to you warning. Surely Adalia gave sign."
Victoria was quiet, and her small hands had fisted at her side. They began to tremble.
"Perhaps you did know, but that snake lay very still and with such a small rat memory you forgot as time passed on." Raven laughed.
"Why haven't we been declared enemies yet?" Gabriel wanted to know over the guild channel. "No announcement of any kind."
"I do not believe Victoria has come around to viewing us as enemies yet." Amelia replied to him quietly.
"That's… idiotic." Hendrick sounded sad.
"That, is some generosity." Gabriel finally said, unwilling to disagree with Hendrick but sounding like he wanted to do so.
Raven finally glanced up, her eyes darting quickly to Aidan. Apparently she couldn't believe she hadn't been attacked yet and was running out of things to say. He made a small wave toward Amelia. Amelia was surprised since she didn't know what he meant. Raven seemed to understand. "Behold, friend Amelia." Raven smiled maliciously, emphasizing with scorn the word friend. "Amelia, Empress Amelia, my 'friend'. I want you to talk to that stupid little Princess. I want you to gain her trust, but don't try too hard. She might get suspicious."
Amelia had the good grace to flush and look down, as if she were ashamed. She wasn't comfortable being used like this but if it got Victoria to stop sitting on her hands she'd allow it.
"So Amelia says to me, she does," Raven leaned forward slightly as if imparting a secret to Victoria. "Don't worry. This Half can't separate her personal trust from the natural suspicion she should have of strangers to her people. She has pretty much killed them herself."
Victoria trembled with rage, but did not look over at Amelia.
----------------------------------------------------
Local Announcement
Shadow Fall is an enemy of the Half.
Notoriety: 12,000
Reputation: 1,500
----------------------------------------------------
Amelia blinked. That was a stupid amount of Notoriety. She really hoped they could bleed it off or they'd be inconvenienced when they returned.
Raven gloated then, really getting into her role. "Look at her. She does not speak because she knows she is beaten. The Half were all talk. Their King did nothing because he was blinded by the love of his favorite daughter. He ignored the daughter that might have saved them. Though I suppose those were just tales too." Raven leaned forward again, her voice soft and curious. "Hey, did you really kill that dragon?"
"SILENCE." Victoria thundered. Amelia blinked in surprise.